Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
She has to know there’s nothing she could’ve done. In this moment, I feel like I’m the older sister.
“I love you no matter what, sis,” I tell her. “I don’t want you to blame yourself. There’s no reason for you to feel that way. Everything that happened was on him.”
Our father was the root of all the evil that befell us. He messed with our lives, and he messed with us. He’s the reason I was subjected to Bane’s abuse. Neither of us is responsible for what happened.
I pull her into my arms, and even though we’re the same height and build. she suddenly feels so much smaller than me. I can feel her shaking, and I know she’s crying. The thought of her having to live with this guilt twists in my gut.
“It’s not on you, Caia. We are all victims here. No, actually, we’re all survivors. We’re stronger because of what we’ve all been through.” I step back so I can look into her eyes. “And when you killed him, you made him pay for his sins. Don’t let our father take any more years away from you. Don’t allow his evil to eat away at you. If you do, he’ll win.”
Caia nods. “You’re right.” She swipes at her eyes as she smiles at me. “Sometimes, I just wish we’d had more time together as teenagers, so we could’ve talked about boys, and shared clothes and makeup.”
“We can do that now?” I suggest with a laugh.
We’re the same size in clothes, so I’ll be more than willing to steal her outfits. My sister’s got incredible style.
“Rayne!” Caia calls, and the blonde beauty who’s stolen my heart looks our way. “We’re going shopping in my closet.”
“Oh!” Rayne leaves Dante, without a backward glance, and comes over to join us.
All we get from Dante in response is an arched brow and a tip of his beer bottle.
“Don’t miss us too much,” I tell him with a flick of my hair, and I know I’ll be paying for that sass later.
He enjoys taking control, and I love to relinquish it to him. He’s the only man I will allow to dominate me ever again.
“What are we shopping for?” Rayne asks as we head into the house and up the stairs.
“How about for that party we’re all invited to in Crimson Falls. I heard the house is like a castle.”
The party’s being hosted by some wealthy friends of Dante and Drake, and we’ve been told to dress the part. Apparently, the owner of the house is a regular wolf in a designer suit. Lycan sounds like the kind of man who gets what he wants, and if the rumors are true, Scarlett, his wife, is his Red Riding Hood.
There’s something about their real-life fairy tale that intrigues me, and I can’t wait to meet them both. I’ve heard that the house overlooks a forest. Maybe we can get lost in the dark and play a game of cat and mouse. Dante does enjoy the hunt.
“I can’t wait,” Rayne says. “There’ll be so many new faces. I used to be scared to meet people,” she admits as we enter my sister’s walk-in closet. “But since being surrounded by everyone here, I’ve never felt safer. Even my brother says he’s noticed a change in me.”
“It might also be because you’re all loved up,” Caia teases, and Rayne grins happily. It’s not a fake smile, it’s genuine.
“And what makes you think that?” My blonde beauty asks as she meets my stare with her green eyes.
I give her a knowing smile before continuing my search through the sparkling, designer dresses hanging on the rail. My sister has some fantastic outfits. And I wonder which one will have my lovers’ mouths popping open when they see me wearing it.
Happiness didn’t come easily to me. I had to travel a hard road to find it.
The abuse I suffered at the hands of my father and Bane broke me, mentally and physically.
But I’ve learned that if you can survive the monsters, you can find a sense of normalcy. It just takes time and patience. Your past doesn’t have to define you. It’s the choices you make now that matter the most.
And I choose to do good.
EPILOGUE - RAYNE
ONE YEAR LATER
Life affords us many opportunities to choose which path we take.
I didn’t think I would ever fall in love. I convinced myself love was merely a fabricated construct. A fairy tale ending for little girls to daydream about.
Growing up, I wasn’t told pretty stories. There weren’t any nights when I fell asleep being read to by my mother. I was sold long before I got to know the true meaning of family. Which is why, now I’m about to become a mom, I know I’ll never abandon my children. They’ll be loved unconditionally and protected from harm.